Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Packaging That Does Not Say Gluten Free Still Can Be Right?

ChickenLady

Recommended Posts

ChickenLady Newbie
ChickenLady
Posted

Hi all I am new to this gluten free way of life. My son has been having bouts of extreme uncontrollable itching. Doctors can not figure what is wrong with him. I have done my own research and think he has a wheat/gluten allergy. He does not suffer from the intestinal distress thankfully.

In my search for food and ingredients for him I am looking in both specialty isles and also regular isles at the store. We bought some cornflake crumbs in the regular isle and I did not identify anything that would be gluten related in it. We then ventured over to the special gluten free isle and found some gluten free corn flake crumbs there but they were less than have the volume for over double the price. Barring the risk of some manufacturing cross contamination, can regular foods be safe and gluten free even without the box stating specifically gluten free?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Yes, they can.

But I would not expect cornflakes, or cornflake crumbs to be gluten-free. Mainstream products of that sort will almost always contain gluten in the form of barley malt. Look for the word "malt."

(Don't be confused about words that start with the letters m-a-l-t. Only the exact word "malt" is a concern.)

krystynycole Contributor
krystynycole
Posted

Peter you read my mind! I was thinking the same thing while reading the post. I have never seen gluten free cornflakes or crumbs that was not made specially for gluten free. Gluten has many, may hidden names because of all the derivatives/forms it can take on.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

But back to the original question. Just because a product is in the regular aisle and does not make any gluten free claims, does not mean that the product does in fact contain gluten. I buy quite a few products from the regular shelves that I have come to know and trust, and often you will see a product in two places - on both the regular and the gluten free shelf. Many companies don't want to get into the gluten free marketing/testing business, but neverthless make a product that does not contain gluten.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

But back to the original question. Just because a product is in the regular aisle and does not make any gluten free claims, does not mean that the product does in fact contain gluten. I buy quite a few products from the regular shelves that I have come to know and trust, and often you will see a product in two places - on both the regular and the gluten free shelf. Many companies don't want to get into the gluten free marketing/testing business, but neverthless make a product that does not contain gluten.

Exactly. So many products are naturally gluten free anyway. In fact, I buy far more products that are not labeled as those that are. I try to stay away from processed junk.

ChickenLady Newbie
ChickenLady
Posted
  • Author

Thanks all. I just checked the label of the crumbs. The only Malt is Malt Flavoring. Off to do more research.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

"Malt flavoring" is malt, which is barley, which is gluten. "Malt extract" is also malt.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Malt is malt. No need to research. Maybe you can return it? Give it to the food pantry?

Some people report good results crushing up Corn Chex instead of the more expensive gluten-free cornflakes.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,685
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tdouglas2901
    Newest Member
    tdouglas2901
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.